Celebrating Notable British Nigerians – Part 4

In part 4 of our series in recognising British, high profile figures of Nigerian origin; we feature 10 public figures who have impacted British society in their specialist fields.

1. Kriss Akabusi

Kezie Uchechukwu Duru Akabusi, known as Kriss Akabusi, is a British former sprint and hurdling track and field athlete. Born in London to Nigerian parents. However; Akabusi would later be brought up in foster care; subsequently after his parents returned to Nigeria when he was four.

As part of the British 4×400 metres relay team, he won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. In addition; he won golds at the 1986 Commonwealth Games and 1986 European Athletics Championships. At the 1987 World Athletics Championships; he won another silver.

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At the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Akabusi won the bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. In addition, he won a gold medal as a member of the 4 x 400 relay team. He followed this with a British 400m hurdles record; of 47.82 seconds to take the bronze medal, at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

At the 1992 Olympics; he also won bronze with the 4×400m relay team. Since retiring from athletics, he has worked as a television presenter and motivational speaker.

2. Dele Alli

Bamidele Jermaine “Dele” Alli is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team. Born in Milton Keynes, to a Nigerian father and English mother. Alli was initially brought up by his mother.

At the age of nine, he moved to Nigeria with his father. He spent two years in Nigeria before returning to Milton Keynes to live with his mother. At the age of 13, Alli was brought up by “adoptive parents”; parents of another young footballer with Milton Keynes Dons (MK Dons) – although he was never legally adopted by them.

He played for the youth system of the MK Dons. He signed for Tottenham Hotspur in February 2015. Alli played for the England U17, U18 and U19 teams, before making his senior debut in 2015. He was selected for UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup; helping England to the semi-finals of the latter.

3. Victor Adebowale, Baron Adebowale

Victor Olufemi Adebowale, Baron Adebowale, is the former Chief Executive of the social care enterprise Turning Point, current Chair of the NHS Confederation; and was one of the first individuals to become a People’s Peer. Adebowale was born to Nigerian parents, who both worked in the UK’s National Health Service. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours. This was for services to the New Deal, the unemployed, and homeless young people.

Adebowale has a number of honorary doctorates. Namely from the University of Central England in Birmingham; University of Lincoln; the University of East London; the University of Bradford and the University of York.

4. NneNne Iwuji-Eme

NneNne Iwuji-Eme is a British diplomat. She was appointed High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Mozambique; in March 2018. She took up her post in July 2018. She became the first black woman to represent the United Kingdom as a High Commissioner.

Iwuji-Eme, was born in England to Nigerian parents who worked for the United Nations. Iwuji-Eme joined the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 1999 as an economic advisor. In 2002, she moved to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as Head of Africa, Middle East and Transition Economies. Prior to her appointment to her current post as High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Mozambique; she was the UK’s First Secretary in Brazil.

5. Martha Osamor, Baroness Osamor

Martha Osamor, Baroness Osamor is a British-Nigerian Labour Party politician, life peer, community activist and civil rights campaigner. Born in Nigeria, Osamor moved to the UK in 1963 to join her husband who was then studying in London. Osamor and her husband settled in Tottenham, where they had four children. Her husband died unexpectedly in 1975.

Osamor was a co-founder of the United Black Women’s Action Group (UBWAG). From 1977 to 1997 Osamor worked at the Tottenham Law Centre (now called the Haringey Law Centre). During this time, she became part of the Broadwater Farm Youth Association Mothers’ Project; on the nearby Broadwater Farm housing estate.

From 1986 to 1990; she served as a Labour councillor representing the Bruce Grove Ward in the London Borough of Haringey. Jeremy Corbyn nominated Osamor for a life peerage in May 2018. On 26 November 2018; the Queen conferred upon her the title of Baroness Osamor, of Tottenham in the London Borough of Haringey; and of Asaba in the Republic of Nigeria.

6. Ugo Monye

Ugochukwu Chiedozie Monye is an English sports pundit and former rugby union player. He was born in England to Nigerian parents.

Monye played 14 times for England. He played 241 times for Harlequins. Moye also played twice for the British & Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa. He won both the second division; and then the Premiership title with Harlequins, as well as winning the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

From September 2021, Monye was a contestant on the UK dance show Strictly Come Dancing, his father died shortly before his appearance on the show.

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7. Esther Odekunle

Esther Odekunle is a British neurobiologist and antibody engineer. Odekunle was born in the UK to Nigerian parents.

Her research focuses on identifying and removing risks from antibodies to improve their development into medications. She also promotes the visibility of diverse professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). In 2021, Odekunle was selected as a Rising Star Finalist in the Black British Business Awards’ STEM category.

8. Adelayo Adedayo

Adelayo Adedayo is an English actress born in the UK to Nigerian parents.

Her first television appearance was in The Bill, and she made her film debut in Sket. She later starred as the main character, Viva Bennett, in Some Girls, which aired on BBC Three. Since 2017, she has starred in the ITV2 sitcom Timewasters as Lauren.

9. Richard Ayoade

Richard Ellef Ayoade is an English actor, comedian, filmmaker, and broadcaster. He is best known for his role as socially awkward, IT technician, Maurice Moss; in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd (2006–2013). For this role he won the 2014 BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance.

Ayoade was born in London to a Norwegian mother and Nigerian father. He studied law at Cambridge University, where he won the Martin Steele Prize for play production. He was also president of the amateur theatrical club Footlights.

Ayoade has written three comedic film-focused books: Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey (2014); The Grip of Film (2017); and Ayoade on Top (2019).

10. Dizzee Rascal

Dylan Kwabena Mills, AKA Dizzee Rascal, is a British MC, rapper, songwriter and record producer. A pioneer of grime music, his work has also incorporated elements of UK garage, bassline, British hip hop, and R&B.

Mills was born in London to a Nigerian father and Ghanaian mother. His father died when Dizzee was young, and he was raised in London in a single-parent family, by his mother.

Dizzee Rascal released his debut album Boy in da Corner in 2003. It earned him the 2003 Mercury Prize, and has since been considered a grime classic. Follow-up albums Showtime, Maths + English, and Tongue n’ Cheek were critically praised and certified platinum. Tongue n’ Cheek went platinum with sales exceeding 300,000 units in the United Kingdom. He has achieved number-one singles with Dance wiv Me, Bonkers, Holiday, Dirtee Disco and Shout.

In November 2013, Rascal received an honorary Doctorate of the Arts from the University of East London. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE); in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music

If you have enjoyed this article, please check out Vivian’s previous instalments via the following links: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.